


I See You Staring

by fangirl6202



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Bouncer! Alec, Clizzy - Freeform, DJ! Magnus, F/F, F/M, Jeliorn, M/M, Magnus/Raphael/Catarina/Camille/Ragnor/Meliorn are siblings, Malec, Pandemonium Club (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Saphael
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-09-28 13:36:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10105529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl6202/pseuds/fangirl6202
Summary: Alec Lightwood has been a bouncer at the club Pandemonium for a while now, hoping to pay off some student debts. Working only on the weekens, he wasn't aware they was a new DJ.Magnus Bane has been DJing at Pandemonium for a week or so when he meets the beautiful bouncer named Alec.After meeting, a mutual respect arises for both men, though through mutual pining they realize they want a bit more than a friendship.





	1. 1.

"You've got to be kidding me," the bouncer said, crossing his arms. 

Alec may have been somewhat new to this, but he could tell a fake ID from a real one. Considering all the times he had to make sure Izzy and Jace's IDs looked legitimate, he'd gotten fairly good with falsifications. 

The three girls in front of him, who were obviously only 16 years old, flashed him pitiful eyes and small smiles. They were all wearing too much makeup and extremely short clothing articles, which Alec didn't really care about. It was their bodies, why should he judge them

"What are you talking about? Those are our IDs. The ones you asked for?" One of the girls said with a confused look. 

Alec scoffed, resisting the temptation to tear the IDs. "The fact that you three can't even get good fake IDs kinda shows how new you are to this. Nice try though." 

Alec turned his head to glare at the bouncer on his other side, who was laughing. Jace instantly quieted down when he saw Alec's face, but his laughter was still audible. His younger brother and him had been assigned the same shifts, and Alec was already willing to stab his brother. 

The girls frowned slightly, then the brunette in the middle flashed Alec a pearly white smile. She moved forward and gently placed a hand on his bicep. 

He raised an eyebrow at her, though her smile never faltered. "You know..." She whispered in a nasally voice. "If you let us in, you and I could..." The girl licked her lips, letting the sentence drop. 

Jace's snickering grew louder and all the girls turned to glare at him. They turned back to Alec, the brunette smirking slightly. "So what do you say, darling?"

Alec scoffed and shrugged her hand off of him. "There's some problems with that 'darling'. One, I'm 22 and you're probably 16. That's technical pedophilia, and that's not me. Two, I wouldn't let you in here even if you paid me. And three...You're not my type."

At this, Jace let out a roar of laughter, doubling over. The people in line behind the girls started grumbling profanities about letting them in or kicking them out. 

"Not your type?!" She said loudly, seeming offended. "I am everyone's type!"

"Honey," Jace said, "not his gay ass."

Alec had to crack a grin at that. For years he had hidden his sexuality, until he couldn't take it anymore. When he finally left his house, he came out to his family. They couldn't kick him out if he didn't live with them.

Jace had sighed out loud and passed $20 to their younger sister Isabelle who cheered. His mother and father hugged him, saying it was okay and that family was family, no matter what. 

Now, Alec didn't care if people knew about his sexuality. 

The girl's face fell and she looked back at her friends. "Sorry girls. Looks like we got dressed up for nothing. "

Dejectedly, the girls shuffled away before Alec's concious kicked in. "Wait," he said, stopping the three girls. They looked back at him. He hesitated a second before saying, "There's an all ages club just above 48th street. I know the bouncer working there tonight. Just tell him Alec and Jace sent you, and he'll let you in for free. "

They smiled at him gratefully before moving along. "Thanks man." one of the others said, smiling, before turning around and chasing after her friends. 

Jace clicked his tongue and shook his head. "You are too good of a man, Alec." Alec smiled at his little brother before letting the next people in line into Pandemonium. 

 

\-----

His shift finally ended around midnight. Rolling the kinks out of his shoulders, Alec put on his jacket, fully intent on going home. Jace sauntered up to him, however, holding up his wallet. 

"Come on Alec, just have a few drinks with me," Jace said with a charming smile. He almost said no, but paused to think about it. Alec hadn't spent free time with Jace in over a month. He missed the idiot's company, even if he was a huge pain in the ass. 

Of course, being the introvert he was, he'd prefer being home, but he wouldn't pass up time with his best friend. 

"Alright," Alec said, only somewhat reluctantly. That was saying something. "Do you think we should call Izzy?" 

Jace thought on it for a second. "Yeah probably. She'd kill us if we went partying without her. " Alec snorted slightly. "Have you ever seen Isabelle pass up going out? No. And she's not going to start tonight."

After texting Izzy , Alec walked into the club, making sure the new bouncer was there to ensure order. 

Walking into Pandemonium always took Alec's breath away. The heavy smell of alcohol and sweat, the dark room filled with bodies, the fog covering the floor, just the feeling of dozens of people enjoying themselves in such a small space. 

Jace shouldered his way over to the bar, Alec following him. The bar was in the far corner of Pandemonium, lit by florescent lights, covered with streamers. 

They both sat down on the stools, the bartender smiling widely. "What'll be, boys?" she said, having to speak over the loud music. 

Alec rolled his eyes, grinning. "We get the same drinks every time, Maia. I think it's safe to bet we'll get the exact same thing!" 

"Fine," Maia said, holding her hands up in mock surrender. "One beer and a shot of tequila coming up, sunshines. "

Jace turned around in his stool to watch the crowd. Being as hetero and attractive as Jace was, he was constantly looking for hookups. Most of the time he didn't even notice he was doing it. After thirty seconds of scanning, his brown eyes widened slightly as he paused to stare at one person. 

Alec didn't bother turning around, knowing it would just be a hot girl who showed too much cleavage. Just as Jace was about to run off, Isabelle came into view, wearing tight red skinny jeans and a lacy black crop top. Her makeup was perfect and several people stopped to stare at her. 

She smiled at her brothers, not noticing the stares, and spread out her arms as if to say I'm here and I look great! Which she did. Isabelle always looked great. 

"Hey big brother!" She said over the music, throwing her arms around Alec. He chuckled and hugged her back, realizing how much he actually missed seeing her daily. 

"What the hell am I then?!" Jace said loudly, looking indignant. Izzy laughed before hugging him too. She was always the radiant one in the family. 

Jace turned Isabelle around by her shoulders, pointing somewhere into the fog. "What do you think we tag team on this one, Iz?" 

Her blood red lips curled into a devious smile as she studied someone in the crowd. "Let's do it. "Used to being forgotten, Alec waved his hand in front of his siblings. "Hello? Still here?" 

She grimaced and tenderly put a hand on Alec's shoulder. "I love you brother, but you couldn't find a hook-up if you tried."

Jace snickered as his face flushed red. "I-I could! I just...Prefer not to." He crossed his arms defensively as Jace laughed. 

"You could hang out with me!" Maia said brightly, returning with their drinks. Her eyes were teasing but her smile was sincere, making it impossible for him to know whether she was joking or not. 

"Thanks Maia," Alec said darkly, grabbing his beer and sipping it. Before Jace could intervene, Izzy downed his shot and dragged him off in the direction of the crowd. 

"You sorry sons of bitches." Alec chuckled into his beer. Only then did he pay attention to the music blaring from the speakers. 

 

_Oh I'm haunted by the ghost of you_

 

_Trying to keep from going from under_

 

_But I can't get over you_

 

_Memories. Memories._

 

_Everything you said to me, said to me._

 

_Oh but now you're dead to me , dead to me_

 

_Now you're just memory_

 

Alec wasn't a big fan of electronic music, but there was something about the song that he felt in his bones. A surge of energy shot into his veins. 

He turned to the DJ booth, subconsciously wanting to know who was running the booth. Alec was instantly intrigued, since he knew all the DJs hired for Pandemonium. He didn't recognize the man in the booth. 

The man inside was wearing a deep v-neck, that showed off a lot of his chest, tight black pants that clung onto his legs, with a navy blue aviator jacket thrown over the outfit. The thing that stood out the most, though, were his eyes. They were such a piercing gold, they had to be contacts. The man's face was somewhat obscured due to the fact that Pandemonium was poorly lit, but Alec could make out a distinctive facial structure and a lot of makeup (or maybe his highlighter was just sweat?)

Alec shifted his body towards Maia, not once taking his eyes off of the new DJ. "Who's spinning tonight?" He asked nonchalantly. 

Maia glanced up from the counter she was wiping down. "Oh, that's Bane." She answered curtly before returning to cleaning. 

"Bane..." Alec said, testing the name out. "First or last name?" 

"Last, I think" Maia responded. She halted for a second, looking at Alec suspiciously. "Why the sudden interest in him?" Maia asked with a accusatory tone. 

Alec sipped his beer instead of responding, letting the pounding music and bright lights overcome his senses. He couldn't help but stare. 

The song ended and a roar went up from the crowd. They jumped up and down, cheering and drunkenly demanding music. 

Alec watched as 'Bane' grabbed a microphone and made a "quiet down" motion with his hands, which were adorned with rings. 

"Hello Pandemonium!" He said into the mic, leading the crowd into a frenzy. Alec was immediately enthralled by his voice, and found himself leaning forward to listen. 

"If you don't know me, I'm Magnus, or DJ Bane. It's whatever," He said with a charming smile.

 

Magnus.

 

Alec liked the way the name sat on his tongue. Magnus Bane. It was an interesting name for an equally interesting man. 

"As sad as this is for me to say," Magnus continued. "My job is done is for the night, but I will be here next Saturday!" 

The crowd playfully groaned before cheering louder than ever. It was apparent that the cheers made Magnus proud and had a good effect on him. "Goodnight Pandemonium!" 

He put down the microphone and the lights surrounding the booth went off abruptly, but not before Magnus could be seen holding up his hand to the crowd. For a split second, Alec could have sworn he made eye contact with Magnus. 

A new DJ walked in, one that Alec knew, and the music continued to the party goers delight. 

Alec tried to ignore the little bit of disappointment. So he just drank his beer quietly, chiding himself for getting carried away. 

 

\-----

 

Saturday nights were Magnus' favorite.

 

The packed crowds, the smell of sweat and alcohol, the crazy lights, the blaring music that made his ears almost bleed. 

He loved everything about it. 

Magnus took off his headphones and hopped out of the booth, his boots colliding with the floor. 

Within a matter of seconds, a woman approached him, a smile on her pale face, her emerald eyes sparkling with excitement and alcohol. 

Magnus smiled brightly at her before bowing dramatically. "At your service, my Queen. " He gave her a dazzling smile before picking himself up. 

Camille laughed as she playfully swatted Magnus' arm, her blonde curls bouncing. It was obvious she was beyond drunk. "Oh stop it! You did great, Mags!" He pulled her into a hug, grateful she was there. 

Camille Belcourt had always been there when he needed her the most, ever since they were children. She was only a few years older than him, but she acted as if Magnus was a child. Magnus couldn't say he completely hated it. 

Camille held on for a moment longer than was necessary before breaking off. "I say we hit the bar, Maggie. I don't know about you, but I could use some vodka."

Shaking his head, Magnus chuckled at Camille's priorities. He put one arm around her shoulder and led her to the bar.

"By any chance, do you know where Meliorn and Clary are? I dropped them off at the bar ages ago. "

Camille giggled, something very uncharacteristically for her, and pointed to a part of the club with booths. 

Glancing over, Magnus was surprised to see that his two friends were sitting across from two very attractive strangers. One was a tall blond with obvious confidence, and the other was a Latina women with amazing makeup skills. It took Magnus a second to realize that the blond was hitting on Meliorn and that Clary was flirting with the woman. 

You coy motherfuckers Magnus thought. Well, at least one of them would get laid that night. 

Steering Camille towards the bar, a smile lit up Magnus' face as he saw his favorite bartender. She was a young girl with beautiful brown skin. Her hair was so curly and she had a sharp set of wits. If anything, Magnus loved a women who valued intelligence over ridiculous social concept  ~~~~

"Well hello, Mia," Magnus said with a charming smile. He gently helped Camille onto one of the stools before sitting down next to some random man

"Anything associated with vodka will be fine," Magnus said, jerking his head towards the giggling, drunk Camille.

Maia grinned in return. "Anything for my best tipper." She turned to the man next to him. "Anything for you, Alec?" 

The man looked up to answer, and Magnus' breath caught in his throat.

He was absolutely gorgeous.

 


	2. 2

Alec looked up, answering Maia's question with a shake of his head, still drinking his beer. His mind registered the fact that a man was sitting right next to him, but Alec didn't frankly care. 

"Maia, what did you think of the music?" The man said, and Alec choked on his beer. 

 

 _Magnus Bane_. 

 

It was odd that Alec had managed to memorize a voice that quickly, but he knew it was Bane immediately. 

Without thinking, Alec looked up. 

Alec had thought Magnus was attractive, but looking at him closely, the man was sex on legs. He had dark, tan skin that had no visible imperfections to it. His face was covered in makeup, and Alec was left amazed at how good he was. He immediately tried to find some fault, no one was that good with makeup, but he only found slightly smudged eyeliner under his left eye. Besides that, his makeup was amazing and it accentuated his golden eyes. Now that Alec was looking, he noticed Bane's eyes had vertical slits. Like a cat's. 

If his face said anything about the man's personality, his clothes screamed it. What he previously thought was an aviator jacket over a v-neck was actually...Just the jacket, buttoned up only a quarter of the way up. His abdomen showed and Alec had to stop himself from staring. His jeans turned out to be tight black leather, and Alec had to look away quickly. 

"Well, I really liked your selection. You totally won the crowd over," Maia said, passing a concoction to Magnus who then passed it to a woman next to him. 

Oh, Alec thought suddenly, wanting to disappear. Of course he's taken. . . 

Alec could see why Bane would date the women. She was beautiful, even by his standards, with silvery blonde hair and blood red lips. He couldn't see her eyes, but he had the suspicion they were green. It was also obvious she was beyond drunk. 

Suddenly, the lights were too bright and the music was too loud. He put his beer bottle down on the counter and desperately wished to be home in his apartment. Alec rose to leave when a hand pressed onto his shoulder. 

Alec was about to judo-flip them before he realized it was his unwanted sister. "Leaving so soon?" Isabelle said, pouting grumpily. Izzy had the habit of materializing whenever Alec needed her the least. "It's so early in the night Alec!"

The oldest Lightwood was saved from answering when a surprised chuckle came from behind him. 

"Isabelle?!" Magnus said, standing up quickly. A smile was on his face and Alec's heart rate sped up. "My God, Isabelle Lightwood!"

Izzy's eyes lit up in recognition before launching herself towards him. "Mags!" He caught her with a huff and wrapped his arm around her. 

The two laughed giddily before breaking apart to look each up and down. (Alec wasn't very happy to see a random man staring at his sister like that)

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "I see you finally perfected your cat eyes," he purred. 

Izzy laughed. "And I'm glad to see you finally became a DJ. You always wanted to. "

Alec was genuinely fed up and wanted to leave. He wasn't thinking clearly when he rudely cleared his throat.

"Hello? Anyone care to explain how you know my sister?" He directed the question to Bane, whose sculpted eyebrows rose quickly. 

Magnus turned to Isabelle. "Isabelle! You never told me you're oldest brother was so attractive!" He tutted, leaving Alec both confused and oddly flattered. 

Magnus put one arm around Isabelle (once again, Alec did not approve of this) and whispered something in her ear, which caused her to giggle.

"Yes, he is," Izzy whispered, winking coyly

Magnus grinned and made eye contact with Alec, which caused him to blush profoundly. "How do you even know I'm the oldest? Wait, how do you even know my sister?!" 

Isabelle put a hand on Alec's chest. "You remember my roommate in college? Catarina? Well her and Magnus were best friends and then me and my Magnus became friends. He's the one who taught me how to perfect my makeup. The man's a master. " She said proudly, looking at Magnus with admiration in her eyes. 

Magnus spoke. "As to how I know you're the oldest, Isabelle here told me how she had two older brothers. I've already met Jace, so that left you. " Magnus wiggled his fingers, turning to Izzy. "Apparently, the Lightwoods have amazing genetics, I'm almost jealous. 

He held out his hand, smiling sweetly. After a moment's hesitation, Alec shook it. "Well if you didn't already know, I'm Magnus Bane," he said with a glittery wink. 

Before Alec could respond, the woman at the bar hiccuped. "Maaaags," she slurred, nearly falling out of her stool. Magnus leapt forward, managed to catch her, and was holding her bridal style for a second before putting her on her feet. She groaned and hid her face in Magnus' neck. 

"I apologise for Camille," Magnus said, rolling his eyes. "Sisters. What can you do with them? This imbecile can't handle alcohol for shit."

Sister! Alec's eyes widened but luckily, no one noticed. He didn't know why, but he felt relieved seeing that the woman, Camille, was Magnus' sister. They didn't look anything alike though. 

Magnus glanced at a gold and expensive watch on his wrist and clicked his tongue. "I don't usually leave this early, but it seems I have to make sure this drunk idiot makes it home safely." He gave Izzy a one armed hug and then smiled at Alec. 

This wasn't good. Alec didn't want to leave right before Magnus. It would make it look as if they were leaving together. Despite the thundering in his head, Alec's social anxiety wouldn't let him leave just yet. 

Just as Magnus was about to walk off towards the exit, his eyes widened in realization. He turned to Isabelle very suddenly, a wicked grin on his face.

He said something to her in a low whisper, which caused Izzy to blush and stutter. Alec could tell she was denying something, but Magnus rolled his eyes dramatically. 

Camille slurred out a goodbye before Magnus walked with her outside the club. 

As he watched the two leave, Alec rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, glancing at his sister. "I'm... I'm gonna head home, Iz," he muttered. "it's been a long night. 

Izzy looked forlorn as she nodded absent-mindedly. "Yeah, OK. I'll tell Jace. Thanks for inviting me, big brother. "

Alec put on his jacket, kissed Izzy on the forehead, and walked out of Pandemonium. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this chapter is a bit rushed and shorter. I'll try to make them longer. 
> 
> Also, probably really irrelevant, but I may or may not have made a Spotify playlist. 
> 
> It's just called "I See You Staring Playlist" It's just a lot of songs that are going to be mentioned in the story or that I think works with the story. 
> 
> OK, that's about it. Thanks for reading!


	3. 3.

" _Dios_ ," a voice said, waking Magnus up from his sleep. "You're room is a mess. Don't you ever clean?"

Magnus groaned and groggily opened his eyes before yelping at how bright it was. It didn't help that he was slightly hung over. 

"Magnus, get up _idiota_!" An all too familiar person said, yanking Magnus' covers off his nearly nacked perfect body. 

"Raph!" Magnus complained, slowly getting up to see a very pale, very grumpy Mexican boy in his bedroom. "How dare you! I was dreaming with Sebastian Stan!" 

As always, Raphael Santiago dressed as if going to a high maintenance funeral, with a tight fitting black button up and a dark purple tuxedo vest. He looked depressing and pale while next to Magnus' room of bright neon colors. 

Magnus long ago stopped wondering just how the hell Raph got into his apartment. As far as Magnus knew, he never gave Raphael a key. 

"Get changed, Magnus," Raphael said, throwing a pair of jeans and a crop top to him, wearing a look of disgust as he surveyed the room. 

It was a mess, as usual. 

Raphael almost immediately started tidying up, grumbling under his breath. Magnus almost griped at Raphael, but stopped while tugging on his jeans. It wasn't Raphael's fault he was instilled with harsh discipline and manners. The least Magnus could do was not give him a hard time about it. 

Instead, Magnus just gave him a grin. "Ah, visiting me on a Sunday morning. Camille never does that and neither does Catarina. This is why you're my favorite brother." 

Raphael snorted without looking at Magnus. " _Pinche idiota_ , I'm your only brother. "

Magnus raised his eyebrow at that, considering that Meliorn and Ragnor were also his brothers. 

He shrugged, stretching his long limbs out, numb from hours of inactivity. "Still, the notion stands. Now, just why the hell do you want me out of bed at," Magnus paused to check the time," 12:43 in the morning?" 

"Because I'm a hungry college student who has a somewhat rich older brother. Now, let's go somewhere. You're paying." 

\-----

Magnus stared at Raph in bewilderment, who wasn't even paying attention. He was too busy staring at the boy who had finished singing. "Oh my God, just go talk to him! You're drooling for God's sake!" 

Raphael's dark eyes quickly cut back to his older brother, looking jittery. "Are you kidding me? He's way out of my league, Magnus. What if he's not even attracted to guys?" 

Magnus rolled his eyes and decided to look for himself. 

The boy wasn't bad. He was buff, Magnus would give him that, with brown hair and glasses nearly falling off the top of his nose. He was wearing a faded Star Wars shirt and ratty jeans. What he lacked in fashion sense though, he made up for in radiance. His smile was genuine so Magnus thought he was ... adequate. 

Not good enough for Raphael though. Magnus loved his little brother and refused to let him be hurt. He was about to say so, but he saw the helpless look in Raphael's eyes.

He was painfully reminded of a 7 year old boy timidly standing behind a social worker's leg, tears running down his face. Raphael's eyes had the same look at that moment that they had all those years ago when they first met.  Magnus couldn't say no to those eyes. 

Magnus turned back to his little brother. "Do you know anything about him?" He asked, digging into the plate of eggs in front of him. 

Raphael rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Simon Lewis, 19, Jewish, Latino, accounting student, likes James Bond, Star Wars, World Of Warcraft, he has a sister Rebecca, and has a thing for Madonna. He sings here every Sunday morning. "

Magnus held his fork halfway in the air. "Okay, now you're just stalking the poor boy."

Raphael buried his face in his hands, groaning loudly. _"Dios santo, soy patetico. "_

Magnus scoffed, thinking _And they say I'm the dramatic one._ He sighed loudly before giving Raphael advice. "Yes, you are pathetic, but at least take off the horrendous jacket and _go talk to him_. "

He took a deep breath before shrugging off his jacket and walking away from the booth. Magnus watched as his little brother rolled his shoulders and walked confidently toward... did Raphael say his name was Sheldon? 

As Raphael and Sheldon spoke, Magnus stole the eggs off of Raph's plates. He kept himself entertained by watching the passing cars and daydreaming. 

Possibly 10 minutes later, Magnus wasn't paying attention, Raphael slid back into the booth, looking terrified. 

Magnus raised an eyebrow. Raphael looked positively green.  "So...? How'd it go?" 

Raphael stared down at his now empty plate. "I...I got his number. And we're going to dinner on Friday. "

Magnus smiled from ear to ear, clapping his hands together. "Wonderful! I knew you could do it! Samuel would have been a fool to say no to you. "

 

\-----

 

Two hours, three plates, and a check later, Magnus and Raphael were walking down the streets of Brooklyn. 

Raphael's eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated on what Magnus recalled from the previous night. 

"So this Isabelle, she's flirting with Clarissa? And you attempted to hit on her older brother?"

Magnus smothered a grin. "I might have. I'm also 90% sure Meliorn left the club with Isabelle's other brother Trace. "

Raphael stopped in his tracks, pulling Magnus with him. "This boy, is he tall? Blond? One brown eye one blue?"

Magnus nodded, squinting slightly. "Why ask?" Considering Raphael and Meliorn lived together, he might have seen them together. 

Raphael sneered, looking disgusted. "I walked in on them making out on the couch," he said with his face void of emotion. " I nearly had a heart attack and died."

Sadly, Raphael was still a college student, so he left Magnus alone to peruse the borough around 4 o'clock. 

Magnus had just resigned himself to a boring day of staying home and watching TV when his phone vibrated. He reached into his pocket and glanced at the screen. It was an unknown number and Magnus braced himself to hanging up within seconds. 

Holding in a sigh, Magnus answered the phone. "Hello?" 

A female voice answered back, sounding small and even... embarrassed? "Magnus? Hi, it's ... Isabelle. Isabelle Lightwood. "

Magnus frowned ever so slightly. The Isabelle he knew was bubbly and enthusiastic. This wasn't the Isabelle he knew. 

"Oh, Isabelle darling! How lovely to hear from you." (How the hell did she get his number?)

"Mags, if you're not too busy, I was wondering if we could go out to eat or something. I need to talk to you. "

He almost coughed in surprise. First off, the nickname 'Mags' was absolutely atrocious. Second off, Magnus knew, without a doubt, she wanted to talk about her flirting with Magnus' close friend Clarissa. 

"Yes, of course I can make time for you. Do you know where we could meet up?" Magnus knew better than to say no to a Lightwood woman. 

They made arrangements to meet at a little restaurant, Taki's, and Magnus strode to the nearest metro station, humming the tune of  "On Broadway."

After ten minutes on three different platforms (each, he may add) Magnus hurriedly walked into the tiny restaurant. He was horrified at the fact he had spent half an hour in a tin can crammed next to total strangers. 

The moment he opened the door, Magnus was hit by the smells of pancake batter and fried chicken, the overhead lights helping to add onto the warm atmosphere. A jukebox in the corner lightly played music, a couple choosing the next song.  

He glanced around and saw Isabelle sitting alone at table in the far corner, nervously crumpling up a wad of tissues. Magnus smiled sympathetically and made his way over, coughing quietly to get her attention. 

Isabelle's head jerked up, her dark eyes widening. Magnus slid into the booth opposite of her, preparing himself for the confirmation ahead of him. 

 

\----- 

 

Alec's week had been uneventful. Wake up, eat, class, eat, homework, eat, sleep. That had become his daily routine. Sunday, though, was the epiphany of his week. It was only day without classes and he'd be damned if he spent it studying. 

He had slept in until 10, then decided to make blueberry pancakes, a dish he used to prepare every morning for years when he lived with his siblings.  He then decided to watch the entire Pirates Of The Caribbean saga (Orlando Bloom just did things to him, ok?)

Alec was having an exceedingly good day. No shirt, sweats, a bucket of caramel popcorn, and his cat Church. 

Sometime around the second movie, Alec's phone made quaking noises , his message notification for Jace. 

 

_Delivered 1:34 - Whaddya think of the new DJ last night?_

 

Alec shook his head and replied. Jace never bothered to send a simple Hello. 

 

 _Sent 1:36 - *What did you* He had a good selection, why?_  

 

 _Delivered 1:36 - Not the music dumbass!_ Him!!!

 

Alec paused for a moment. What did he think of Magnus Bane? Well, he was one of Isabelle's friends. He had a great body and an amazing personality. He seemed very friendly. 

Suddenly, Alec couldn't stop smiling. He wanted to see Magnus again. Alec's brain said he was crazy, and he knew he truly was. 

I mean, it's not as if Alec had anything to do except pine over a hot guy. 

Without thinking, he pulled up his boss, Victor Aldertree's, contact. It rang for a minute before he answered. 

"Hello?" His boss said, his accent making him sound ruder than he really was. 

"Hey, Victor, I was wondering if I could take the late shift? Unless Kyle has it today. " That was it. Alec was insane. 

"The late shift? Alexander, I thought you wanted a day off." Victor replied, sounding confused. 

Alec stammered for a moment before answering. "Y-Yeah, but you know. College. Tuition. What a bitch." He couldn't the nervousness out of his voice. 

The other line was silent for moment. "Alright. I suppose I could give Kyle the night off. Be there at 10, no later." 

Alec thanked him and hung up quickly. He leaned back onto his couch, snuggling a grumpy Church. 

 

Yep. Alexander Gideon Lightwood was insane. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while!! I promise we'll find out what Izzy and Magnus talk about, and we will explore the ship that is Saphael.


	4. 4

Magnus walked into Pandemonium feeling dazed. He was aware of his surroundings but his mind was stuck in his conversation with Isabelle earlier that day.  

 

-

_"Now, I'm going to assume this is because I commented on your flirting with my dear friend Clarissa." Magnus had said, sitting down in front of Isabelle in Taki's._

_Her wide brown eyes reminded Magnus of a deer caught in headlights as she nodded shyly. "Magnus, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about that. " Isabelle's voice was low and she had sounded paranoid. It hit Magnus like a bullet._

_Isabelle wasn't out to her family._

_"I don't see why you're scared, Isabelle," Magnus had responded, looking confused. "Your older brother came out years ago and everyone accepted him. "_

_Isabelle's cheeks turned red. "You think I don't know that? But you don't think my religious conservative parents weren't the slightest bit disappointed? That their precious first born wouldn't be able to give them a daughter-in-law and grandchildren? And now me and Jace? They wouldn't handle it. "_

_Magnus had forgotten about Jace's making out with his younger brother Meliorn. He had always thought Jonathan was as hetero as possible. From all the stories Isabelle had told him when she dormed with Catarina, Jace could (and did) hook up with half of the female New York population._

_He put his hand over Isabelle's. "Ok," Magnus said softly. "I won't tell anyone. But your parents will accept you , and if they don't...Well, they'll lose one of the best women in all of New York."_

_Isabelle sniffled and laughed before wiping away her tears. "Thanks Mags," she said. "And for the record, my brother's totally into you."_

_Magus had sputtered, not expecting such a frank statement. "I, uh, what do-- are you implying that I--"_

_He had been cut off by Isabelle's Winchester Bitch Face™."Magnus please. I know you and I know my brother. You're both obviously attracted to one another. "_

-

 

For the first time in a very long time, Magnus felt anxiety creeping up on him. Alexander Lightwood was the type of man Magnus would want to introduce to his parents. 

He was an obvious looker, but he tended to stay in the shadows. He tended to wear torn sweaters and plain jeans. Unlike his siblings, Alexander was shy and didn't like the spotlight. 

Magnus did. 

He strived to get other people's attention. He wore makeup and glitter to grab everyone's eye. As a kid, no one noticed him. Now, everyone did. 

Magnus wasn't used to feeling scared anymore. Wasn't used to the fear of rejection, mainly because he never asked anyone out. People flocked to him, and he went home with people at a random. 

Alexander was different. 

\-----

Alec stood beside the front door to Pandemonium freezing his ass off for hours until his shift ended and a boy named Bat took over, though he waited a moment to make sure Bat knew what he was doing. 

He headed inside to get away from the cool air, and on his way to the bar, he bumped into someone. More like tackled someone to the floor.

A bundle of blonde hair, pale skin, and a dress fell to the floor.  "Shi--" Alec hissed as the familiar woman hit the ground. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" He said , helping her up. "Are you okay, Camille?" 

In front of him, was Magnus Bane's sister, Camille. 

"Y-Yeah," Camille said, rubbing her ankle. Her oddly symmetrical face contorted in pain.  "God, my foot!" 

Alec flushed a deep red. "I'm really sorry about that, Camille. Um...h-how about I buy you a drink?" 

Camille pondered the offer for a moment before grinning. "Yeah, I'd appreciate that. "

While helping her, the two made it to the bar where a girl named Gretel was serving. Her platinum blonde hair was braided down the side of her hair, and she seemed to be pissed at the world. 

"Hey, Gretel," Alec greeted, going for a charming smile. "Just a beer for me and whatever Camille wants for herself. "

Camille laughed and sat on one of the stools. "I'll just take a Mojito, thanks babe." She said with a wink. 

Alec's hazel eyes widened while Gretel snorted. She turned around to the other patrons at the bar and Alec turned to Camille. Before he could say anything, she threw her head back and laughed. 

"Oh, come on, Alex!" She said, not noticing how much he hated the nickname. "Gretel's one of my best friends! I flirt with all my friends, except the ones my brothers or sister have their eyes on. Actually, I believe you're on that list. "

Alec, who had just gotten his beer, proceeded to choke on it. After a second of not being able to breathe, he looked at Camille with teary eyes. "What?"

She looked at him like he was stupid. "Um...Magnus? Bane? The Indonesian man who wears too much glitter and has massive heart eyes for you?"

Alec blushed, not able to look her in the eye. "Y-Yeah? What a-about him?" He hated how his high school stutter came back at the worst times. 

Camille rolled her eyes to ceiling. "Alexander Lightwood, please. I might have been drunk off my ass, but I remember how you acted around my brother. You were very flustered and very happy to be the focus of his flirtations. "

Alec opened his mouth but promptly closed it. He couldn't disagree with that. "Well...Magnus is very...attractive." 

"I think you're toning it down a little, Ale-- Look! There he is!" Camille frantically waved to someone and lo and behold, the man himself, Magnus Bane. 

This time, his hair was spiked up and he had a yellow theme going on. A yellow muscle tank, yellow dyed tips, neon green shoes. Even his flawless eye makeup was neon green and neon pink. Magnus shone like the sun. 

As he walked over, Alec's heart rate sped up. He could feel himself blushing furiously and hoped it could be blamed on the heat. 

"Camille! Alec!" He said with a dazzling smile, spreading his arms. "I didn't know you guys would be here!" 

Camille smiled affectionately and swatted his hands away from her. "I'm always here, you asshole. "

Magnus laughed and Alec found himself smiling. He laughed into his semi empty beer bottle and continued to watch the crowd dancing. He could hear the two siblings starting a conversation, so Alec resorted to people watching. 

The way he saw it, there were two types of people in the world; The doers and the watchers. Alec grew up in a household full of doers. 

Izzy being the head cheerleader and soccer player. Jace being a line backer and basketball player, not to mention still being in Honors Choir. Even little Max had once been the captain of the Quizbowl team and got lead roles in Musical productions. His parents were business tycoons and were very well known in the New York scene. 

Alec? No. He watched. He studied everyone's actions and personalities until there was nothing new to learn about them. Its what made him a great writer. It was easier for Alexander Lightwood to write everything down then try to explain everything to someone who didn't care. It was something his family never understood, but no one questioned. 

 

Alec was grateful for that. 

 

Not five minutes had passed when Magnus held out a hand to Alec. "Do you want to dance?" 

For a second, Alec thought he could hear a bit of nervousness in Magnus' words but that wasn't possible. Magnus Bane oozed confidence. He wouldn't get nervous asking someone to dance. 

Alec faltered for a second, though it seemed like ages. Everything in his body screamed to not do it, to stay at the bar. But there was a tiny voice that sounded a lot like his little brother Max telling him to go, to live a little. 

 

 

"Y-Yeah. I'd love to. " 

 


	5. 5

Simon, stop it! You look great!" 

It was Friday, and Simon Lewis was panicking. Earlier that week, he had just finished singing Coffee and Cigarettes at Java Jones when he was approached by the mysterious and brooding Raphael Santiago, who he had been pining over for the past semester. They had a shared astronomy class, and while they talked frequently, he didn't think they could be considered friends. 

Everyone on campus knew the morbid History major could ruin your life with a snap of his fingers and had several older siblings who would do the same. The Bane/Belcourt/Fell/Loss/Fae/Santiago family were very overprotective of their siblings. 

Simon couldn't breathe.

Surprisingly, Raphael had come up to him to "praise his performance" which he did so gracefully. Raphael Santiago did everything gracefully. It was only towards the end that his careless facade broke and Simon jokingly said, "What? Did you come here to ask me out? Cause I'm totally available on Friday."

"A-Actually? Yes." 

Stunned, he let Raphael sign his number on Simon's wrist. "Does s-seven work for you?" Simon had numbly nodded, smiling goofily. Raphael had left, returning to his booth and leaving Simon to internally scream. 

Simon rolled his eyes, twitching nervously. "Easy for you to say, Fray! I'm a walking disaster." He stopped for a moment, fidgeting with the cuffs of his shirt and turned to his face the vanity. 

"Woah..." 

His rats net (hair) was actually tame, parted slightly to the left. He had been forced to pop in his contacts, which he hardly used. Despite fighting, Clary had bought him a copper colored long sleeve which "would look great" on him. Honestly? It did. It was a miracle to see him in something other than a Star Wars shirt. He did manage to keep the converse though. 

The door opened and Elaine Lewis' head popped in. "Simon? Are you rea- oh my God." 

Simon turned to face his mom, who was stunned at how much her son looked like his father. She covered her mouth, choking back a sob. 

"Mom?" Simon said, hesitantly stepping towards Ellen. "Are you okay?" 

She nodded, a small sob escaping. "You...you look just like him." Both Clary and Simon knew what Elaine meant, and Simon walked over to his mother, embracing her tightly. 

The Lewis' stood like that for a few moments before Elaine pulled back, wiping the tears off her face. "I'm alright. I'm alright. I, uh, came to tell you he's here. He's downstairs."

Simon immediately perked up and Elaine couldn't help but laugh. She playfully smacked her son's arm, smiling at Clary. "You know Clary, Si chose well. Raphael's a looker. "

Clary chuckled, covering Simon's cry of "Mom!" Clary smiled widely and responded, "That he is. I think half of the campus has a crush on him. Simon's a lucky bastard."

"Not you too, Fray!" 

Both women broke out laughing as Simon gave Clary a shoulder hug and kissed his mother's cheek. He threw on a leather jacket and rushed out his door. 

Barely able to not run down the stairs, Simon nearly tripped and sweared violently under his breath. He looked up, face flushed, to see a stunned Raphael Santiago in his living. 

His (really nice) lips were parted, and his eyes were wide. Simon was confused for a minute because this was the first time he had seen Raphael in something other than funeral attire. 

Raphael was wearing a dark red button up and casual jeans. His hair was touseled and looked liked he had just rolled out of bed. 

In all reality, Raphael was not going to admit he had stolen it from his brother Meliorn while Magnus had chosen the outfit.

A few hours before, he called an emergency Misfit Siblings Meeting (which just meant he sent out the word "Emergency. Be at Bane's in 30" to their family group chat titled Misfit Siblings) telling Meliorn and Ragnor to bring any and all dress clothes they had since he didn't trust Magnus' closet. 

All of them met at Magnus' and Raphael spilled how he had a date and didn't know what to wear or do. Immediately, the sisters Camille, Catarina, and Magnus fawned over him, and the brothers Ragnor and Meliorn gave him advice on how to woo men. 

As he only wore professional and dark cloth, he felt out of place. But this was a (hopefully first) date and if anything, Raphael would be courteous and gentlemanly like any Hispanic boy should. 

" _Dios bendito,_ " Raphael muttered, running a hand through his "artfully ruined hards" which were Magnus' words, not his. 

He had never seen Simon in anything other than ratty jeans and graphic t-shirts. His clothes were different but that wasn't what struck Raphael different. It took him a moment to realize his eyes weren't covered by hair or by glasses. They were a beautiful mixture of green and brown. Maybe a dash of amber... 

Before Raphael could embarrass himself even more, Ms. Lewis walked down the stairs followed by a petit redhead. 

Simon jumped the last steps and stumbled a little. Raphael's arm shot out and he steadied Simon. "Be careful there, bebe, I'd hate to see you hurt on our first date." 

He flashed a grin at the blushing boy and would have continued shamelessly flirting but he heard a low voice say, "Oh I like this one, Clary. "

He turned to face Ms. Lewis and realized he just flirted with her son. In front of her. Before his cheeks could burn up, he put on a charming smile. 

"Ms. Lewis, I'd like to thank you for letting me take your son out to dinner tonight. I promise you, if anything happens to him, I'll take full responsibility and you have complete rights to murder me. " He put on a humorous tone towards the end and she laughed. 

"Oh, no need to call me Ms. Lewis. Elaine works just fine." She turned to glance at her son. "He's respectful too. Simon, I really like this one. " 

Raphael laughed as Simon blushed even harder. "Mom, I think me and Raph should get going. You know, dinner reservations and whatnot." 

Simon grabbed his hand, which caught Raphael off guard, and dragged him to the door. He turned back to Elaine and the redhead quickly, saying "I'll have him home by 9!" 

Simon through the door open and she said, "Are you kidding me?! You can keep him out all night!" before the door closed.

\-----

Jace reclined on the couch in his apartment, stroking his boyfriend's hair, whose head was in his lap. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was playing and Meliorn kept commenting on how much better Robert was in this movie then in Twilight. The clock on the wall read 10:53 pm. 

It was true, Jace never really considered having a long term relationship, but he felt like Meliorn was worth it. It gave him butterflies just thinking how he was dating someone like Meliorn. 

When he had walked into Pandemonium earlier that week, he was expecting just a one night stand. Well, he got that, but he also asked Meliorn out afterwards. It was a one in a million chance he'd say yes, but he did. They went out to breakfast and Meliorn asked if Jace would mind making this a relationship. 

He had surprised himself for agreeing in a heartbeat. 

Meliorn Fae was a beautiful person with a kind soul. He made Jace smile, which was a feat. He had the uncanny ability to be blatantly honest, which meant he always called Jace out on his bullshit. It drove him mad, but Meliorn made up for it in the best ways possible. 

As Cedric was dying, Meliorn's comments were stopping and Jace realized he was asleep. He considered waking the sleeping man up, but decided against it. Jace slowly grabbed the tv remote and turned off the television. 

He leaned down and kissed the top of Meliorn's head and dozed off, smiling. 


	6. 6

Clary stayed with Elaine for another hour or so, just making small talk and watching Full House reruns. She knew that Elaine wasn't used to being alone since Simon was always there. Since Luke was working a late shift and her mom was at an art gallery, Clary figured it wouldn't hurt to stay with Ms. Lewis for a while.

As they watched the episode where Jesse failed to make it to his own wedding, Elaine asked the question she was dreading. "So tell me, Clary," Elaine said, sipping out of her mug. "Do you have your eye on anyone?"

She jerked back in surprise. Clary turned back to Ms. Lewis, mouth slightly agape. "I, um... actually, yeah. I do." Clary sipped her tea as Elaine quickly paused the television.

"What?!" She yelled excitedly.  "Tell me all about him! Where does he live? Is he tall? Does he draw? Wait wait, backtrack! What's his name?"

She figured she could just lie and say it was the blonde boy that was next to her  at the club, but since Simon had just left for a date with a man, Elaine couldn't be homophobic. 

 

Could she?

 

"Its... It's Isabelle, actually."

She paused, waiting to see Elaine's reaction. Her face didn't change at all, and she kept firing away with questions."Where does she live?! Is she tall?! Heels or flats?! Does she do sweats or dresses?!"

Clary laughed and was grateful Elaine hadn't done the whole, "You're a lesbian? Oh I'm so proud of you!" thing. No, she had done what she had done with Simon; not treat her any differently. It was nice, and it reassured her that Elaine wouldn't treat her any different. 

"I'm not sure where she lives, she's taller than me, she was wearing stilettos when I met her,  and she definitely does dresses over sweats."

\-----

 

9:56 P.M. 

 

Raphael Santiago had never done anything so reckless or ridiculous. He clung to Simon's hand for dear life, both men laughing hysterically as they ran. A voice far behind them screamed, "And don't ever come back!" 

They ran, dodging pedestrians and pointed glares. It wasn't until they were a few blocks away that they slowed down. They leaned against a wall, doubling over while still laughing. 

Raphael still couldn't believe Simon had punched another diner over a sextist comment. It was awe-inspiring, but it turned out the diner was the restaurant owner's brother. Before anything could escalate, they ran.

What was initially a good dinner and conversation had turned into running in the middle of New York at night. It was completely exhilarating. 

Gasping, they looked at each other, smiling. Both decided to forget that there wasn't a reason for them to keep holding hands. 

Raphael bit his lip (totally didn't gaze at Simon's eyes) and slowly intertwined their fingers. Simon let out a tiny yelp but couldn't help but smile like an idiot. 

"Can... can I ask you something?" Simon asked, grinning from ear to ear. 

Raphael hesitated for half a second, but nodded nonetheless.

"Well... I'm not exactly the most attractive guy on campus. Or the smartest. Or richest. What made me stand out? Why'd you decide to ask me out?" Simon squeaked out, looking away. 

Raphael looked at him, definitely gazing this time. He cupped Simon's cheek, turning his face to see him. 

"Simon. You may not be the most attractive, smartest, or richest person. But you have this... thing. Every time you talk to me in Astrology, I can't help but be happy. I always eat breakfast at Java Jones on Sundays just to see you perform. You make me want to listen to dopey love songs, eat chocolate, and write love letters. Love letters for God's sake! I can't explain it. You make me... happy." 

They stood there for a few moments before Simon wrapped his arms around Raphael's waist. He laid his head on Raphael's shoulder, which startled him slightly.

Raphael Santiago wasn't very big on physical contact, but he didn't mind this. This was... comfortable. He could get used to this.

After a minute of silence they broke apart and Simon held his hand. It suddenly dawned on Raphael that they were still in a random ally and that it was getting late.

Raphael took a glance at his watch and mentally kicked himself. He groaned, feeling guilty. 

"What?" Simon asked, looking concerned. "Did you forget to write an essay that is so conveniently due tonight at midnight?" 

Raphael laughed, wondering how this beautiful boy could make every situation humorous. "No," he said, chuckling. "I promised your Mom I'd have you home by 9. It's already 10."

Simon sighed dramatically, placing both hands on Raphael's shoulders. "Babe. My mother loves you. She will not kill you for keeping me out." 

Raphael had a stunned look on his face, and once again Simon was confused. "Raph? You ok?"

He nodded, still looking frazzled. "It's just...you called me babe."

Simon's brain immediately rang a siren and he could feel his face go up in flames. _Shit! Apologize before he thinks it's weird!_

Before he could say anything, Raphael leaned forward and kissed his forehead. 

"It's ok," He said, smiling gently. "Don't tell anyone, but I'm actually very fond of petnames. Now come on bebé. I have to get you home." 

If Raph had been looking for a way to stun Simon into silence, by God it worked. They walked back to Simon's place in peaceful silence. Thankfully, his home wasn't very far from where they were. Within 35 minutes, Raphael was standing in Simon's doorway. 

"You can come in," Simon suggested, one hand on the doorknob. "It's kind of cold out." As if to emphasize his point, he crossed his arms and shivered. 

Raphael laughed at his antics. "Thanks, amor, but it's getting late and we have class tomorrow. I'm heading home and getting some shut-eye," He said, disappointed that he actually couldn't stay. 

Simon cocked an eyebrow. "How far exactly is 'home?'" He asked. 

In all fairness, Raphael could have given him an honest answer, but where was the fun in that? He shrugged. "Maybe I'll tell you over dinner next Saturday, who knows."

Simon grinned. "Raphael Santiago, are you asking me out on a second date?" 

Raphael nodded solemnly, attemping to keep a straight face. It didn't work though, and both boys ending up cackling. 

The door opened and Elaine Lewis stood there, smiling fondly. "I'm guessing you two had a great time," She said.

"We did, Ms. Lewis," Raphael said, still laughing. "We enjoyed ourselves a lot." 

"I'm glad to hear it," Elaine said. "Raphael, thank you for getting him home safely. Simon can be... reckless at times." 

He chuckled as Simon let out a yell of indignation.

"Actually, mom," Simon said. "Could I talk to Raphael for just a few more seconds? Alone?" 

Elaine raised her hands in surrender. "Raph, get home safely." She said to Raphael before closing the door. 

"What'd you w-" Raphael started but was abruptly cut off as Simon leaned forward and kissed him. 

Simon grabbed onto his shirt and for a second Raphael just stood there. It wasn't until Simon's hands landed on his waist that Raphael literally lept forward, closing the gap between them and holding Simon's face. 

They kept kissing until a lack of oxygen forced them to break away. When they pulled away, they stood there, just breathing. 

It was Raphael who stepped away first. "Well, Lewis," he said. "You're going to be the death of me." 

**Author's Note:**

> Songs Mentioned In Chapter 1- Memories / KSHMR


End file.
